Tejas Mark-1A delivery delayed, Defense Minister will hold review meeting!

A total of 180 LCA Tejas Mark-1A aircraft were signed with HAL to meet the shortage of fighter squadrons in the Indian Air Force, but till now not a single aircraft has been delivered. HAL has missed the deadline several times in a row.

According to sources, after correcting the radar performance and some other technical issues in June this month, HAL may come to the Indian Air Force for a review meeting. Defense Minister Rajnath Singh has also been reviewing HAL’s projects from time to time.

In the same sequence, the progress of HAL’s project was also reviewed on Monday. Defense Secretary, CDS, Indian Air Force Chief, CMD HAL and other senior officials of the Defense Ministry were present in this review meeting chaired by the Defense Minister.

Air Force Chief Air Chief Marshal AP Singh has publicly expressed his displeasure several times over the continuous delay in delivery of aircraft. Now the Defense Ministry is preparing to impose penalty on HAL for this delay. A senior official of the Defense Ministry has confirmed this. Similarly, HAL has also said about imposing penalty on American company GE for delay in delivery of engines.

A senior Defense Ministry official has expressed hope that the delivery of Tejas Mark-1A can start this year. HAL currently has six engines available and structures of about 18 aircraft are ready. About 24 aircraft are expected to be ready by the end of the year. However, the Indian Air Force has not yet received a single Tejas Mark-1A aircraft.

A review meeting regarding the Tejas Mark-1A program is proposed this month. Earlier this meeting was to be held in May, but it was postponed. HAL’s new CMD Ravi Kota had also met the Air Force Chief.

The Air Force has already indicated that it may consider giving immediate relief to HAL in some cases, but there will be no compromise on technical parameters which are considered ‘non-negotiable’.

According to defense officials, if there are some shortcomings under the parameters set in the contract, which can be temporarily accepted – for example, a technology can be operated manually for the time being instead of being completely automatic – then the Air Force can consider it.

The Tejas program has progressed relatively slowly so far, mainly due to delays in engine delivery. However, now gradually engines have started being available. The engine deal for the Tejas Mark-1A program was signed with American company General Electric (GE) in the year 2021. Under this agreement, India is to get a total of 99 F404 engines.

The Indian Air Force chief has already expressed his displeasure over the delay in delivery of the fighter jet. Tejas has several variants—Tejas Mark-1, Tejas Mark-1A, Tejas Trainer Aircraft and Tejas Mark-2. Among these, Tejas Mark-2 will be the most advanced version, work on which is currently underway.

Keeping in view the current security requirements, the Indian Air Force requires 42 fighter squadrons, whereas at present it has only 29 squadrons. This shortfall is to be filled through the Tejas programme. The Air Force has already inducted 40 Tejas aircraft into its fleet.

A deal for 83 LCA Tejas Mark-1A aircraft has been signed with HAL, but their delivery has not started yet. Four fighter squadrons will be formed from these 83 aircraft. Apart from this, procurement of 97 more Tejas Mark-1A aircraft for five additional squadrons has also been approved. Of the total 11 squadrons of Tejas, two have already joined the Air Force, while nine squadrons are yet to join.